"I'm waiting for the rain….I'm bracing for the thunder..."

It should be no secret that Byleth was unaware of the way life was steering off the course that she had grown accustomed to. From a wandering mercenary, following in her father's footsteps, not yearning for a life outside of this to a professor of an academy that she had no knowledge in herself. She was destined to be a hired sword for the rest of her life avoiding the outside world, but it seemed the hands of time and unfortunate circumstances brought her here.

The calm breeze flowing into her new bedchambers, stirred her awake as she made a few mutterings of protest, wanting a few more of the quiet morning's respite to herself, but she stretched her limbs and dangled her feet off of her bed. Once she had felt her grogginess slowly dissipate, she walked over to her wardrobe and carefully placed her armored garb on after stripping out of her nightclothes, which consisted of a well used linen shirt that once belonged to her father and undergarments that were needing to be changed.

Byleth sighed as she picked up the lessons she prepared for the students of the Golden Deer House and stepped out into the early dawn, barely a trickle of sunlight peering from the clouds on the horizon. Garreg Mach was at peace, only guards and a few monks were out and about giving Byleth a momentary pause of serenity to observe the scenery as she made her way to her classroom. She had to admit, while she was not used to being around so many unfamiliar people, it was a nice change from being around gruff and tough men and women under Jeralt's command. Learning more about the civilization of Fodlan and the culture surrounding it left her curious; eager for more.

Perhaps that's why she believed that the Golden Deer House seemed to be the most intriguing to her. She was quite enamored by the students, more specifically Claude whom she could relate to almost right away. He didn't seem as though he was deeply enthralled into the idea of nobility like she had seen so many times when she and Jeralt were hired by their kind. So when asked to teach his class she absolutely agreed. She had to admit though, she was quite conflicted, since Dimitri was such a genuinely nice individual and Edelgard was interesting to say the least, but somehow she felt in her heart that she should go with Claude and teach his class.

She was well distracted by her own thoughts when she turned the corner into the the hall leading to the classrooms and ran straight into another body knocking all of her supplies on the ground. She stumbled, fumbling to the ground with a thud, muttering a curse under her breath. The person near her also had seemed to have shakened a bit, but was still left standing.

"Yeesh, you gotta be more careful when coming around the corner." The voice spoke.

Looking above, she saw a young man in an Officer's academy uniform with blazing red hair tousled up and clutching his head with a distressed and a slightly annoyed expression on his face. This boy...wasn't he one of the Blue Lions students? Upon looking down, his facial features softened and changed into a mischievous smirk while his hand rubbed the back of his neck.

"Why professor, I didn't see you there. You really need to watch where you're going around this time, unless you'd like to fall for me some more." The boy winked giving a slight chuckle.

While Byleth was not the most emotive person, she did feel things from time to time. At this point her brows furrowed and she pursed her lips at the boy making light of her clumsiness. "Sylvain wasn't it? Isn't it a bit too early for you to be out and about?" Byleth asked as she scrambled to grab all of her supplies off of the ground.

Sylvain crouched down still wearing his smug smile as he also tried to help clean up the mess he made, "Well truth be told, I was sneaking out of a girl's room. I had to make sure his Princliness didn't find out about it. So, most of the time I just go to a girl's dorm and stay awhile."

Byleth turned to him with a confused look, "Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't it not wise to discuss with your Professor that you've been having romantic outings with several young ladies on campus."

Sylvain chuckled, "Well yeah, but you're not like the other professors."

Byleth raised her eyebrow at the comment, "In what way?"

"C'mon Professor, it's not common for a Professor to be around our age. Surely you can let a few things slide." Sylvain handed the materials that he had picked up for Byleth. Byleth swiped them out of his hands, a neutral facade painting her face. "Even more so since, you know, you decided to go to the Golden Deer House." Sylvain stood up, towering over Byleth. He leaned down to outstretch his hand to her to help her up paired with a charming smile.

Byleth eyed him suspiciously, she had seen his type before, not even among nobles but also among the other mercs she occasionally passed by that were not of her father's band. Men who delighted in taking many women every night to warm their bedside, only to be leaving early without regards to the lady involved. Jeralt made sure that Byleth was well aware of the men like this, and made it well known to those in their group that those who tried to approach her were likely to get smacked. Whether that was by Byleth or Jeralt, no one really knew which.

Sylvain cleared his throat, feeling Byleth's gaze staring into his soul, "You know, Professor, it would be awfully rude to deny such a kind gesture from a handsome guy such as myself."

Byleth scoffed, "Is that so? I wasn't under the impression that the gesture was genuine"

Sylvain clutched his chest, showing a painfully fake act of hurt, "My dear Professor, what would ever give you that impression?"

Byleth replied, "Considering the first thing you said to me was flattery and flirtations, I doubt that we would ever share a serious conversation, let alone kindness that wasn't somehow underhanded."

Sylvain shook his head, "Tsk tsk, is this why you didn't choose the Blue Lions? Trying to avoid me somehow? I have to admit, that's pretty harsh, however I don't give up that easily."

"Evidently," Byleth droned out a monotone reply, "Regardless that isn't the reason why, my reasons for my decision are my own."

"C'mon Professor," Sylvain extended his hand again, leaning further down to her eye level, "Don't you trust me?"

Byleth peered into his brown eyes, analyzing him, before eventually relenting and placing her free hand into his. Sylvain grinned ear to ear, and firmly but gently lifted her up, smiling at her as she crashed into his chest.

He laughed, "See? Not too bad, huh?"

Byleth rolled her eyes, "You're lucky you're not just another merc, that kind of behavior wouldn't have been tolerated."

Sylvain grinned, leaning his head down to whisper in her ear, "Oh? What would you have done then, Professor? Make me stay after class for a punishment?"

Byleth, disgusted,shoved Sylvain away from her, "In your dreams, Sylvain, and even then I'd still say no."

Sylvain placed his hands behind his head as he leaned back on the wall nearest him, "I'm just saying, maybe I'd like to join your class someday, it'd be better than dealing with Hanneman. Plus the view's much better."

Byleth glared at him, "Don't you need to return to your room soon? I've heard Dimitri gets up extra early to get his training in."

Sylvain's face flashed in horror, "Uh right, well, I'm not done with my conversation with you however. Perhaps we could talk more over tea? My treat?"

"I'm sure I'll be too busy," Byleth deadpanned, desperate to end the conversation.

Sylvain chuckled while turning to leave, "We'll see, Professor."

Byleth sighed as she watched the young man turn tail to run towards the Noble Dormitories. He really was not the worst she had met, but he was certainly one of the most annoying and infuriating philanderers she'd seen. Finally turning to the Golden Deer's classroom to find yet another student, this one a more welcome sight than the previous, with his golden cape running down his back and a book in his hand.

Byleth looked curiously at him before taking her turn to talk, "Good book?"

Claude jumped in surprise, "Aggh! Don't startle me like that, Teach."

Byleth's eyes shined humorously, "Didn't think I could, want to get started?"

Claude chuckled, "As eager as I am, I think we need to wait for the rest of the students."

Byleth blinked in confusion, "Oh...my apologies."

Claude eyed her with amusement, "They didn't tell you what's to be expected?" he sighed loudly, shrugging his shoulders, "guess I'll have to help you out a little bit."

Byleth nodded her head, "I appreciate it, thanks Claude."

"It's no problem," Claude peered at her as she slowly placed her materials on her podium at the front of the room. The room getting unsettling quiet, too much for Claude's liking when he finally broke the silence, "Soooo, Teach?"

"Yes, Claude?" Byleth replied without looking at him, more focused on how to ready herself for her first day.

"What was with the tiny little run-in with our resident skirt chaser outside? Didn't think he was your type?" Claude smirked, climbing on her desk as she finally looked at him with a slight twinge in her eyebrow.

"It wasn't that, Claude, we merely stumbled into each other." Byleth looked away grabbing a piece of chalk to write down her lesson on the board provided.

Claude crossed his arms, "Yeah, I was actually expecting to see him again at this hour. What with his constant walks of shame back to his dorm, it's a wonder that the young Prince hasn't caught onto one of childhood friends lurking around the women at night."

Byleth turned to face Claude, "He does this often?"

Claude huffed out a brief laugh, "Ha! He does it so much, I think at least one out of every four girls you see around the monastery have had a go at him."

"He's that bad?" Byleth asked.

"Ah well, I wouldn't say he's bad per se, I'd say more...confused?" Claude contemplated it for a second, trying to figure it out himself.

"Confused?"

"Yeah, I don't know, he's a bit of a mystery himself. From what I hear, he's from a well known noble family in Faergus, House Gautier. Their family is from I believe the farthest northern region of it, guarding Faergus from another country nearby. He's the second son, but he is set to inherit the head of his house." Claude replied, obviously keeping a lot of tabs on his classmates.

"What happened to the other son then?" Byleth questioned.

"I'm not too sure, Teach, could be anything." Claude shrugged. Byleth had a shaking suspicion that he knew a little bit more, but wasn't going to tell someone he'd met only a short time ago.

Byleth turned to the entrance of the classroom, hearing the bell toll for the classes to start and the clambering of students rushing to their respective classrooms.

Claude smiled at his professor, "Ready to meet the masses?"

Byleth nodded, "Sure, let's see how this goes." She prepped her materials on the podium and adjusted her coat nervously, hopefully it doesn't go south…